News
Chicken kotthu warning after lorry seizure
Kotthu roti fans beware: Health inspectors who stopped a lorry with 100kg of chicken unfit for human consumption this week were told the consignment, cleared out of supermarket fridges, had been destined for fast food outlets.
A Public Health Inspector (PHI) said bad chicken was mostly used in chicken bites and kotthu because consumers were unable to detect whether the food had gone bad.
The driver of the stopped lorry admitted that the chicken he was transporting was meant for restaurants and food outlets.
At least three restaurants close to the Hill Street, Dehiwela location where the detection occurred were checked and 30kg of kotthu roti unfit for consumption was seized.
The chicken in the lorry had been collected from supermarket outlets and a leading poultry company.
Supermarkets and wholesale outlets have been advised to ensure that chicken unfit for consumption is properly disposed of so that the stocks do not re-enter the food market through restaurants and food outlets, PHIs said.
The people behind the lorry-load of chicken evaded court proceedings by agreeing to destroy the stock.
Meanwhile, the recent increase of adulterated food products has led the Consumer Affairs Ministry to carry out daily inspections.
The Deputy Director (Regional) of Consumer Affairs, Asela Bandara, said about 17,000 raids have been carried out so far this year.
“Since last year, 14,000 cases were taken to court,” he said.
Coconut oil was often adulterated, he said. Palm oil was the additive, and the combination of the two oils could be harmful to humans.
Chilli powder was also often found to have been adulterated with fabric dye, rice flour and brick dust. “Fabric dye is the worst type of thing to put into food. It collects in the stomach and is absorbed into the body, poisoning the consumer,” Mr Bandara said.Turmeric, pepper and, indeed, most spices were entering the market in adulterated form, he warned.